Item 1A. Risk Factors
Item 1A. Risk Factors
The following is an update to, and should be read in conjunction with Item 1A. Risk Factors contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10- K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results. The risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K are not the only risks facing our Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and/or operating results.
Labor Matters. We have approximately 7,800 active employees, of which approximately 10% are located outside the United States. Approximately 35% of our workforce is covered by various CBAs, predominantly with the USW. At various times, our CBAs expire and are subject to renegotiation. Generally, collective bargaining agreements that expire may be terminated after
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notice by the union. After termination, the union may authorize a strike. A labor dispute, which could lead to a strike, lockout, or other work stoppage by the employees covered by one or more of the collective bargaining agreements, could have a material adverse effect on production at one or more of our facilities and, depending upon the length of such dispute or work stoppage, on our operating results. For example, in fiscal year 2021, the USW engaged in a 3 ½ month strike primarily affecting our AA&S segment operations, and we incurred approximately $63 million in strike-related costs and had lower revenues during this period while we continued to operate affected facilities with replacement workers. There can be no assurance that we will succeed in concluding collective bargaining agreements to replace those that expire. Our current CBAs with USW-represented active full-time employees at our Specialty Rolled Products business and certain employees at one facility included in our Specialty Alloys & Components business expire in February 2025.
Risks Associated with Current or Future Litigation and Claims. A number of lawsuits, claims and proceedings have been or may be asserted against us relating to the conduct of our currently and formerly owned businesses, including those pertaining to product liability, patent infringement, commercial disputes, government contracting, employment matters, employee and retiree benefits, taxes, environmental matters, health and safety and occupational disease, and stockholder and corporate governance matters. Due to the uncertainties of litigation, we can give no assurance that we will prevail on all claims made against us in the lawsuits that we currently face or that additional claims will not be made against us in the future. While the outcome of litigation cannot be predicted with certainty, and some of these lawsuits, claims or proceedings may be determined adversely to us, we do not believe that the disposition of any such pending matters is likely to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or liquidity, although the resolution in any reporting period of one or more of these matters could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations for that period. Also, we can give no assurance that any other claims brought in the future will not have a material effect on our financial condition, liquidity or results of operations.
In August 2024, the Company received notice that it and certain of its affiliates are parties to two lawsuits, filed in federal district court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, that assert various claims associated with the Company’s October 2023 purchase of group annuity contracts to transfer a portion of its U.S. qualified defined benefit pension plan obligations to Athene Annuity and Life Company and Athene Annuity & Life Assurance of New York. We intend to vigorously defend against these claims, but given the preliminary nature of these matters, cannot predict their outcome or estimate any range of reasonably possible loss at this time.
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